Star Trekkies I: Enterprise
by Ael L. Bolt
Summary: Seven human children. One Trek convention. And one unforgettable adventure. Follow the lives of seven people, finding themselves in the Star Trek world and irreversably changed... Part 1 of a trilogy. FINISHED
1. It All Started In The 21st Century...

**Star Trekkies**  
_By Lugia42/Charmega_

  
**Prologue**  
_"Personal Log, Stardate whatever-the-heck-it-happens-to-be-today. Lieutenant Danks recording. I am making this recording just in case we never make it back to our century. Maybe someday, our story will be told across the galaxy. In any case, I must record our journey across space and time. It is not only logical, but it is also the 'human' thing to do."_

"Human. I have almost forgotten what it was like to be one of them, back on old Earth. Yes, I was human once. A human genetically, mentally, and of course emotionally. That is why it is so hard to explain now why I am Vulcan in the same respect."

"That is why I am recording this tape. The story of my friends and I, and how our adventure began. It all started in the twenty-first century..."

  
**Chapter One - It All Started In The Twenty-First Century...**  
"Jessie! Aren't you ready yet? We're supposed to have left five minutes ago!"

"I can't find my Klingon mask, Allison! I can't go to the convention without it!" the reply came from the other side of the door.

"Jess, it doesn't matter if we don't get there! Besides, you can buy a real one there," Allison called, brushing a strand of hair behind her fake Vulcan ears.

"So says Miss Vulcan out there," Jessie grumbled, opening the door. "All right, let's go then. But if I find out you took it..."

Allison raised one eyebrow (it had taken months of practicing in the mirror to figure out how), and gave up trying to convince her friend. "Come on. My brother's waiting in the van to drive us there. Indianapolis is fairly far away, so we'll need to use Warp Speed. Oh, and by the way..." She tossed Jessie's Klingon mask at her, and she barely caught it. "You left this at my house last time you were over." Then, laughing, she sprinted out the front door and practically dived into the front seat of the van.

"Allison, you are SO dead!"

"Mister Sulu, Warp Nine! There's a hostile alien on the loose and it's headed on an intercept course for the _Enterprise_!" Allison chuckled as she buckled her seatbelt. Jessie plunked down in a seat, looking pointedly angry at the back of her friend's head.

"You're gonna get it one of these days. You know that, right?"

Allison put on a neutral expression before turning around and deadpanning, "Revenge is not logical. And your anger is typical of Klingons, emotional and irrational. May I suggest you repress these feelings of hostile actions toward me, for it would be most unfortunate if you were injured."

All three laughed the whole way to the convention.

~~~~~~~

"Quite a fascinating place to visit, wouldn't you agree?" Allison asked Jessie as the two "aliens" walked between rows of red uniforms and Spock action figures.

"Allison, please...do you HAVE to act in character all the time? I miss your old, very obnoxious self," Jessie complained. Then she paused. "Wait a minute, I take it all back."

Allison somehow managed to keep a straight face during all this, succeeding in looking VERY Vulcan. Her eyes fell upon a certain plastic weapon and she picked it up, holding it out to Jessie. "Happy Birthday, have a _bat'leth_," she said, twirling the Klingon weapon slightly. In a sudden flash of micheviousness, she whirled it around with shocking speed, hurled it up a few feet, and then caught it by the center handle and placed it back on the display table.

"Show off," Jessie accused. "And here I thought you couldn't do that sort of thing."

"I learn quickly," Allison said innocently. She looked around, finally spotting what she was looking for. "Come on, I want to look at the old Trek uniforms and see if they have blue in my size."

Jessie shook her head as she followed her friend across the aisle. "Allison, you are WAY too obsessed with Spock. And Vulcans in general."

Allison raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that?" she asked, touching the tips of her fake Vulcan ears. "Besides, I am not the one who has dressed as a Klingon."

Jessie grinned and made a fist. "_Qapla_'!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, making Allison and other nearby Trekkies flinch. A few Romulan wanna-be's glared at her, but she merely whistled innocently and fingered her plastic _d'k tahg_ knife.

Allison glanced over at Jessie, rolled her eyes, and said something in a melodious alien language. Jessie stared at her for a moment, not comprehending whatever language had just been spoken. Allison raised an eyebrow and said in English, "I assume you do not speak Ancient Vulcan."

"Hey, if _qapla_' is the only Klingon word I know, do you REALLY think I would know Vulcan?" Jessie asked, a little frustrated. "Where did you learn that anyway?"

"Simple logic," Allison responded, then supressed a snicker at Jessie's expression. "Okay, so I'm a REALLY devoted Trekkie. They DO speak Vulcan on occasion in that show, you know, and since they add subtitles it wasn't so hard to figure out. I don't really know much of the language, though. After all, I'm only human. Though I wish I wasn't."

"Be careful what you wish for," Jessie warned. "You may get it."

Allison laughed, finally dropping out of character. "Puh-leeze. Like THAT could ever happen."

ZAP!

Darkness. The power had gone out, but not naturally. A bright beam of blue light, preceded by a yellow glow, had blown a hole in the ceiling, sending terrified Trekkies cowering for safety under tables. Jessie grabbed Allison's arm, trying to pull her to safety.

Allison resisted with all her strength, trying to see what had caused that light. She abruptly found herself staring down the barrel of what was undoubtably a phaser. And it was unarguably real.

She raised her eyes up to the weilder of the weapon, and in the dim light she saw-

And then nothing. Allison hit the floor hard, and Jessie soon afterward. The mysterious assailant pulled out a small square device and spoke into it, and then the three vanished in a yellow sparkly glow.

  
  
Author's Notes: Yep, that's chapter one. Next chapter introduces the other five characters, and then the REALLY weird stuff starts happening...


	2. Kidnapped!

Sorry, but I'd already written five chapters before I saw your review, Tavia. And thanks to this dumb site being down for days...*kicks FF.net* Anyhow, I'm sorry but you didn't quite make it into the fic. Maybe a sequal...? *hint hint*

  
  
  
Three Trek fans walked down the aisles, examining merchandise. The only one who had altered his appearance, choosing Vulcan, held up an old style uniform for inspection before discarding it in the original pile. "I can't find the right shade of yellow," he complained to the other two.

"It's all the same color, Kristian," Steve pointed out, eyeing the food stand. "There is no other color of yellow in the old uniform section. In the TNG section, however..."

"Hey guys, is that Leonard Nimoy?!" Michael exclaimed, pointing wildly into the crowd.

Steve sighed. "Would you just calm down already? It's bad enough that you HAD to stick with us..." He glanced over at the food stand again, and mentally counted his money. "I'm going to get something to eat. Meet me at the main stage in a half hour, okay?"

"Sure thing, Super Dust Storm!" Michael agreed cheerily, provoking a loud sigh from Steve. He quickly turned to Kristian and started talking his ear off, making the Denmark boy look pointedly nervous.

Steve wove his way through the crowd, and at one point he thought he saw a very familiar girl standing in the crowd. A girl with long dark blond hair and color-shifting eyes hidden behind bronze glasses. She was standing next to a Klingon-like girl with yellow-blond hair, talking and flipping around a _bat'leth_. Then he blinked, and the two were out of sight.

Shrugging it off as a coincidence, he turned to the food stand menu to decide what he wanted. But he couldn't shake the strange sense of uneasiness that had suddenly come over him...

And then the lights went out.

There were startled screams from the crowd as two more blazes of blue light flashed in the dark, illuminating for just a moment the frightened faces of the two girls he had seen. Then a bright yellow glow surrounded not two, but THREE people down on the ground.

A soft click from behind him made Steve freeze in disbelief. "Do not move," a harsh, guttural voice snarled. "I do not want my captive to be damaged." There was a strange chirping noise, and the attacker spoke in a foreign tongue. Before he could protest, everything around him fizzled into a bright yellow light and when it vanished, he was no longer there...

~~~~~~~

As soon as the shot was fired and the lights went off, Kristian grabbed a glow-in-the-dark toy phaser and held it up to see what was going on. Michael had become unusually silent, edging closer to the source of light as if it would protect him.

"Steve?" Kristian called cautiously, pointing the slightly glowing object in the direction they had last seen their friend. Michael also turned to look that way, just in time to see him vanish in a pillar of yellow light alongside someone. And that someone was pointing a gun at him from behind.

"Oh my gosh!" Michael nearly screamed hysterically. "Steve!"

"Don't worry about him, worry about US!" Kristian whispered loudly, eyes darting around. There were two dark figures next to them, leveling unmistakable phasers at them.

"Do not attempt to escape," one of them said in barely understandable English. The other spoke into a small device, and grabbed onto Kristian's arm, making him drop the toy phaser. The first one took hold of Michael's shoulder, and they too disappeared into golden light...

And materialized in a small room.

The two assailants stepped over a raised part of the floor and one slapped a panel, causing a strange shimmering effect on the air across the opening of the room. Then they stomped out, giving the two boys plenty of time to examine their surroundings.

The room was about ten feet by fifteen feet, with nothing but a metal bench on the far side of the wall. There was no carpet, only an unidentifiable metal plating. Kristian, naturally interested, knelt down to trace a finger along the seamless floor. "This is...amazing," he said.

"Amazing? What's amazing?" Michael began to say, getting louder and louder. "We've just been kidnapped, and we're being held in some room with a force field and we have NO CLUE WHERE WE ARE!!!!!"

"Could you two keep it down over there?" a voice said from the next cell (for that's what it obviously was). Whoever it was sounded angry, and maybe a bit scared.

Abruptly, it clicked. "Steve? Is that you?" Kristian called, getting as close to the force field as he dared. "It's us. Kristian and Michael."

"HOLY-!" The other boy was at the force field in a matter of seconds. "How did you two get here?"

"The same way you did, evidently," Michael said, eyeing the electricity lines around the archway. "I think we got beamed up, Scotty."

"Be serious, Michael," Steve said in warning.

"No, he's right!" Kristian exclaimed suddenly. "What we experienced was exactly the same thing as they did on the old Star Trek show, whenever they transported anywhere! Michael, you're a genius!"

"I am?"

"Wonderful. How does that let us get out of here? I dunno about you, but whoever kidnapped us isn't planning a tea party," Steve said. "One spoke to me, and he said I was his captive. He didn't want me getting hurt, he said, and then I appeared here."

"They probably want to learn about the human race or something," Michael suggested, shrugging. "Although I can't imagine why they would pick us."

"Or us," a feminine voice cut in. All three boys glanced to the left, at the cell on the adjacent wall. A teenage girl was standing there, right next to her force field door. Even though she was still in Vulcan disguise, there was no mistaking her for anyone else.

"ALLISON?!" all three exclaimed at once.

She nodded, looking tired. "Yeah. And Jessie's here too." She put a hand to her forehead. "Man, those phasers sure pack a punch on stun...I've got a migraine the size of Texas."

"You think YOU'VE got a headache?" Jessie asked sarcastically from further back in the cell. She sighed. "When I said I wanted to go to a Star Trek convention, this is NOT what I had in mind."

"Well, that's the price you pay for being a Trekkie," Allison called over her shoulder. "Personally, I think we should have EXPECTED it."

Before anyone could ask what she meant, the strangely familiar transporter sound filled the room and two people appeared in the cell next to Allison and Jessie. Both looked startled at their surroundings, but neither made a move toward the force field.

"Hello?" one of them called shakily. "Is there anyone else here?"

"Yes," Allison answered. "There are five of us. We're all prisoners too." She moved to where the two other girls might be able to see her. "I'm Allison, perhaps known better as Lugia42 or Charmega."

"Charmega?" one of them asked, familiarity coloring her voice. She stared at the other girl. "Well...I'd always hoped to meet you, though this is certainly not what I had in mind. I'm May Solo." She gestured toward her companion. "This is Lia. You know her as Mistoffelees."

The other four introduced themselves, and then they lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. It was fear, of course, but mostly boredom. Evidently their captors didn't care about the mental state of their prisoners.

Then the whole ship jolted, and the deck plates began to rattle. An odd whine wafted through the air that seemed vaguely familiar, but no one could figure out why.

Allison, being the most devoted Trekkie present, finally snapped her fingers. "We're time-warping!" she realized aloud. "Whoever's in charge of this thing is doing a slingshot around the sun in their spaceship...sending us to the future!"

"Just like in Star Trek four, right?" Jessie remarked in astonishment.

"Exactly," Allison said, a bit nervous. "But that means...we ain't in Kansas anymore, Toto."

"Are you sure it isn't time for a 'colorful metaphor'?" Jessie quoted, and all six others were forced to agree.

There was a whooshing sound, and then everything went black.


	3. Experimentation

When Allison came to, she quickly realized that she was incapable of moving. And it wasn't because of her awful headache, either. Something was holding her down.

As her vision cleared, she looked around. She was in some kind of laboratory, and held to a flat piece of metal on the floor by shackles of some kind. Twisting her head to the left, she caught sight of Jessie and Kristian in similar positions. Looking the other way, she saw May. All were unconscious. Of Steve, Michael, and Lia there was no sign.

She wiggled her right wrist in the metal band, trying to find some kind of release mechanism. But before she could move far, the doors whooshed open. Startled, she looked up.

There were three of them, all humanoid. They looked like a cross between a Borg and a Ferengi, with a bit of Klingon mixed in. Big ears, ridged foreheads, and mechanical prosthetics covering almost everything else.

They stepped closer, and one pulled out a tricorder of some kind. They peered at her through bright blue eyes, taking readings. They did not speak or make any sort of threatening gesture, but somehow Allison knew they weren't planning on being very nice to her. And she was going to be the first...for whatever they were going to do.

"You are a human," one of them said in monotone, barely understandable, English.

Startled, she answered automatically. "Yes. I'm Allison."

"Your name is irrelevant. You are to be our first subject of experimentation," the first one said. "You are to be the base mutant for our project."

"Mutant?! Project?! You can't do this to-" One sting of a hypospray interrupted her, and her vision collapsed into darkness.

~~~~~~~

When consciousness returned, the first thing she noticed was the background hum of a force field. _I'm back in the brig,_ she thought groggily. Then another thing occurred to her. What had they done to her?

She slowly sat up, putting a hand to her forehead as if it would dispel her headache. In doing so, her hand brushed her right ear.

It was pointed.

And she could feel it.

"What the HECK?!" she exclaimed, sitting up a bit too fast. She felt dizzy, but she didn't remove her hand from her ear. She moved her other hand around her face. Left ear. Eyebrows. _Oh man, oh man, oh man!_

Then, finally, she held up her hand to look at it. It was a pale green color, with no pink human skin left. Her fingerprints were of an odd design, clearly marking her as inhuman.

"Please tell me I'm not what I think I am," she said to no one.

"Sorry, but it's real," a voice put in behind her.

She glanced behind her. Lia was sitting on the metal bunk, looking a little freaked out. For a moment, Allison felt sorry for her; after all, Lia WAS the youngest of the seven. But at least she was still human.

"I'm a..." Allison couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Instead, she just brushed her hair away from her ears. Lia nodded fearfully.

"I don't know what they did to you, but it's the real deal," Lia said. "According to what they were saying when they brought you back in, you're a Vulcan, inside and out. Nothing human except your mind."

Allison swallowed hard. This would definitely take some getting used to. "Have you seen any of the others? The others that they took?"

"Yes...about ten minutes after they brought you back, they carried in May and that Denmark kid."

"His name is Kristian," Allison reminded her. Then she hesitated. "Are they...okay?"

"They're alive, if that's what you mean." But she knew that wasn't the answer Allison was looking for, so she continued. "Both are half-Vulcans now."

Allison nodded after a moment. "I should have expected it. They said they were going to use me as a 'base mutant.' Evidently, they needed to judge how much of whatever-it-is they need to change us genetically." Then she realized there was one missing. "What about Jessie?"

Lia shook her head. "I don't know. I haven't seen her since they took you guys out of here."

"I hope she's okay." Allison sighed and put her hand on her forehead. Her headache stubbornly refused to go away, and the news that she was now an alien didn't help much. _How are we gonna get outta here?_ she wondered.

"Are you okay?" Lia's voice broke through her thoughts. "You don't look too good."

Allison sighed. "I don't FEEL too good, either. Maybe it's just me adjusting to this new Vulcan body. Although I'm not sure why I would have a headache..."

"Allison?" Steve called from the next cell.

"What, Steve?" she called back.

"Umm...you don't happen to know why Kristian has REAL pointed ears, do you?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. I have a pair myself. But I'm willing to bet mine are more obvious than his," she answered. "According to Lia, he's only half-Vulcan while I wound up going the whole way Vulcan."

There was silence for a moment. "That is SO whacked out."

"Tell me about it," she groaned. "I mean, I wouldn't believe it either except for the fact that I look almost exactly like Saavik."

"Like WHO?"

"Vulcan lady from Star Treks two and three, never mind though. Anyone have an idea how to get out of here?" Lia said.

"I can't see any way to get out," Kristian said, sounding a lot better than Allison felt. "Those force fields are completely impenetrable without any equipment. And I don't think they left a phaser lying around."

Allison thought hard for a moment, staring at the crackling energy shield. Lia watched her intently, wondering what the Vulcan was up to.

Allison stood up and moved over to the back wall, and began running her fingers along the seams in the metal plating. She traced it all the way to the wall that separated her cell from Steve and Kristian's cell, and knelt down. She probed a crack with one finger, somehow finding the room to slip all five digits into the hole.

With a horrible squeal of tearing metal, she violently ripped back the metal plating from between the two cells. She poked her head through, getting a glimpse of a normal-looking Steve looking shocked and a half-Vulcan Kristian looking equally surprised.

"Voila, instant door," Allison commented before tearing down the rest of the wall. That left a cell twice as long as the two had been before, and gave them some material to work with. She picked up a sharp piece of metal. "Kristian, do you think you could use this to help us escape, somehow?"

Kristian took the metal and flipped it upside-down, sideways, and then right-side up again. "I think I can use the minor cabling in these fragments of the bulkhead to produce some sort of ionic pulse. With luck, that should trigger the 'off switch' of the force field and we'll be able to escape."

"How long?" Allison asked as Kristian began to rip apart the larger pieces of metal to get at the cabling.

"It should take about three hours to rig it up," Kristian confirmed.

"Do it," Allison said. "Steve, Lia, and I will figure out an escape plan for when the force field goes down."

All three of them stared at her for a minute. "Who died and made YOU Captain?" Lia asked.

"Look, do you have any objections to my ideas?" Allison countered.

"No..."

"Then let's get started. Kristian, let us know if you hear anyone coming. With those new Vulcan ears..." Allison trailed off, but the Denmark teen knew exactly what she meant. "You know where I'll be."

"Aye, sir," Kristian commented, glancing up with a humorous look in his eyes. Then he went back to furiously attacking the bulkhead fragments.

"Either he's going to be a scientist or he's going to be an engineer," Allison commented as she joined the other two in the back of the cell. She considered her words carefully. "Or possibly both."

"So, down to business," Steve reminded her. "Once Kristian gets that force field down...how do we get off the ship and where do we go?"

Allison thought carefully, ignoring her rapidly-worsening headache. "We could use their transporter system to beam down on a M-Class planet. If they come close to one, that is. Or we could take control of their subspace communications and send out an SOS to any nearby Federation starship."

"How are you so sure we're in the time of the Federation?" Lia asked. "We could be 900 years in the future, and Starfleet might not even exist anymore."

"Simple logic," Allison stated. She sighed as she saw the stares they were giving her. "It doesn't matter how I know. What is important is that we need to find the comm controls and figure out how to work them. Does anyone have even the slightest clue where to look?"

"YOU'RE the devoted Trekkie here, not us," Steve said.

"I know," Allison said, rubbing her forehead. That headache was getting worse by the minute, and she was feeling strangely chilled. "Anyone know how to work the computer?"

The ship shook, and the sounds of returning fire thrummed through the deck plates. Everyone looked up, and Kristian stopped working. Then the intraship communications came on, and a surprisingly familiar voice came over the speakers.

_"Alien vessel, this is Captain James Kirk of the Federation starship _Enterprise_. We order you to lower your shields and surrender your ship immediately."_

Allison looked over at Lia. "Still convinced there's no Starfleet?"


	4. U.S.S. Enterprise to the Rescue

Allison turned to Kristian. "It appears your work will not be necessary for our escape," she said, raising one eyebrow. "Now all we have to do is wait."  
  
Sure enough, it was only a few minutes before a familiar blue-shirted humanoid came running down the corridor and into the brig. He quickly shut off all the force fields and glanced at the ripped up wall before turning to the four teenagers. "I am First Officer Spock of the Federation starship Enterprise," he introduced himself.  
  
"I'm Allison, and these are Lia, Steve, and Kristian," Allison introduced the group. A Vulcan-like May joined them a moment later, having been in a cell farther away, and she was introduced. The other three were trying not to stare at the living legend so obviously.  
  
Spock looked slightly puzzled. "Those are human names. Three of you are obviously Vulcans."  
  
"Yes, that is true," Kristian admitted, finding his voice at last. "It's a long story..."  
  
"We will have plenty of time to discuss it once you are all safe on board the Enterprise," Spock said, motioning for the five to follow him.  
  
"Have you seen the others?" May asked. "There were seven of us. Two are missing."  
  
"Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy are searching the other compartments of this vessel," Spock explained as they walked through the corridors. "They will find your companions."  
  
Allison smiled slightly when Spock wasn't looking, and when his back was turned she leaned a little closer to Kristian. "I feel so sorry for Jessie," she whispered low enough that he could hear but Spock couldn't.  
  
"Why?" he asked, confused.  
  
"I think she's deathly afraid that if she ever met Kirk, he'd kiss her."  
  
Kristian suppressed an unVulcan-like snigger. "Poor Jessie," he agreed.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Jessie woke up, feeling a bit woozy. For a moment, she wondered where she was.  
  
Then she remembered the aliens, and the kidnapping from the Star Trek convention. She was on her feet in an instant, looking around.  
  
She was in a room of some kind, about ten feet across and ten feet wide. A Klingon bat'leth, a REAL one, was hung on two hooks on the wall. Other Klingon hand weapons were mounted on the walls, like an armory.  
  
Jessie walked over to the bat'leth, and caught sight of her reflection in the shiny metal. What she saw made her freeze in place, then check her image more closely.  
  
Ridged forehead. Slightly darker hair, though still blond. A bit darker skin color than what she was used to. All those things added up to one thing: she was a Klingon.  
  
Half-Klingon, anyway, she concluded a moment later. There was NO WAY she could possibly be a Klingon...but then again, she had seen the aliens inject Allison with some sort of chemical, and watched as her best friend's ears became pointed and her skin changed color...  
  
First thing's first, she told herself. I've got to find a way out of here.  
  
But before she had to do anything, the door swooshed open. A yellow-shirted man stood there, a phaser in his hand. Jessie gasped audibly, realizing just who had come to her rescue.  
  
That's Captain Kirk himself!  
  
"Are you all right?" Kirk asked her. "Have they done anything to you?"  
  
"I...I don't know what they've done to me..." Jessie said. Despite being the type of person who could come up with the right wording for a sentence on the spot, she was uncharacteristically speechless. She took a hesitant step backwards, not sure what to do.  
  
"It's all right," Kirk said, stepping into the room. "I'm Captain Kirk of the starship Enterprise. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Jessie." At least she was able to say that much.  
  
Kirk gave a polite nod. "Are you alone here, Jessie?"  
  
"I wasn't...I was kidnapped with six other people. We were being held in the brig of this ship...but they did experiments on us." She touched her forehead ridges carefully. "They did this."  
  
Kirk looked a little puzzled. "What were you before?"  
  
"I am...I WAS a human," Jessie said, feeling speech flow more freely now. "From...the twenty-first century."  
  
Kirk reared back, shocked. "The twenty-FIRST century?" he asked, startled. "You mean...these aliens are time-travelers, and they kidnapped you from old Earth?"  
  
"That's as far as I can figure out. Have you found any of my friends?"  
  
Kirk's communicator beeped, and he flipped it open. "Kirk here."  
  
"Spock here, Captain. I have found my way to the brig. With me now are five children that were being held prisoner. One of them has indicated that there are two more aboard this ship," the familiar Vulcan voice spoke from the small speaker.  
  
Kirk met Jessie's eyes as he spoke into the communicator. "Yes, I've found one of them. That means one is still missing."  
  
"Who did he find?" a VERY familiar voice asked in the background.  
  
"A girl named Jessie, who appears to be part Klingon," Kirk said.  
  
"Allison? She's okay!" Jessie exclaimed, realizing just who she had heard over the communicator.  
  
"Captain, we do not have much time before the aliens discover the 'jailbreak,' if I understand the meaning of that word correctly," Spock reminded Kirk. "We must find this last child, a male named Michael, before we return to the ship. It would be most unfortunate if the aliens are aware of our presence before we locate him."  
  
"Understood, Mister Spock. I'll see how McCoy is faring." He twisted a dial on the device and spoke into it. "Kirk to McCoy."  
  
"McCoy here, Captain."  
  
"Have you found anyone yet? Someone besides those aliens, that is," Kirk asked. "There should be a boy somewhere aboard, named Michael."  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, he's with me right now," McCoy's voice answered. "Jim, what did those aliens think they were doing, kidnapping human children?"  
  
"That means Michael is still a human," Jessie said aloud. "They didn't get to tamper with his genetics yet."  
  
"McCoy, meet Spock and I at the beam-in point. All seven children have been accounted for," Kirk said, flipping his communicator shut before the doctor could reply. "Well Jessie, is there anything you'd like to take to the ship with you?" he asked.  
  
Jessie, without hesitation, unhooked the bat'leth from the wall and held onto it like her life depended on it. "I'm taking this," she told Captain Kirk. "I've always wanted a real one."  
  
Kirk looked even more confused. "I thought you said you were from the twenty-first century."  
  
"I am."  
  
"Then how do you know about Klingon weapons? Klingons weren't contacted until about fifty years after the time you're from."  
  
"Er...it's a long story," Jessie said. "Well, are we beaming up to the Enterprise?"  
  
Kirk looked a bit more confused at her correct use of technology a few centuries ahead of her time, but he didn't speak and instead led the way to an open corridor. Doctor McCoy and Michael were waiting there, and Jessie noted with relief that Michael was perfectly normal.  
  
Michael started at Jessie's appearance. "Jessie? You're a REAL Klingon?" he asked.  
  
Jessie pointed one end of the bat'leth at him menacingly. "That would be kind of a 'duh!' question, isn't it?" she asked.  
  
Kirk and McCoy walked a few steps down the corridor and started talking in low voices, and every now and then one of them would glance in the direction of the two teens. Jessie watched them nervously, wondering what they were talking about. It was quite obvious that they were the topic of discussion.  
  
Jessie also noted that Spock and the others were late. What could possibly be wrong now? 


	5. Ten To Beam Up...

r hands as she tried to ignore her headache. The cold wasnÿt helping it any; the pain was steadily in 

As Allison followed Spock, she felt a sudden chill. In an attempt to ward off the cold, she rubbed her bare arms with her hands as she tried to ignore her headache. The cold wasn't helping it any; the pain was steadily increasing. 

It finally got to the point where she could no longer keep up a normal appearance. One hand went to her temple, as if physical pressure would relieve the pain. Her hands were trembling in what seemed like icy air, but she was the only one who showed any discomfort. Her steps faltered, and she almost stumbled. 

"Are you well?" Spock asked, and only after he spoke did Allison realize that he had stopped walking. 

"I don't think so," she answered, feeling horrible. "I'm a little cold...and my head hurts." At that point she would have fallen, if it hadn't been for Spock's strong arm supporting her. 

He flipped open his communicator. "Spock to Doctor McCoy." 

"McCoy here." 

Their voices seem so far away, Allison noted fuzzily. I wonder why it sounds like I'm in a tunnel? 

"Doctor, one of the children has collapsed. I believe she is quite ill, and will require your assistance once we have returned to the Enterprise." 

She felt like she was falling, and vaguely wondered what would happen if she just fell asleep. Thank pitchforks and pointed ears... the random thought came, influenced by hearing McCoy's voice. 

She was aware only of being carried, and the intense cold that seemed to run through her very blood. There were voices, floating around her in worried tones. A shrill noise...a tricorder? The hum of machinery... 

And then she only knew blackness. 

~~~~~~~ 

There were only six transporter pads, so only six people could beam up at a time. Spock, carrying Allison, and McCoy went in the first group along with May, Kristian, Lia, and Steve. Kirk, Michael, and Jessie had to wait until they were already gone before being able to transport up to the ship. 

Jessie materialized on the transporter pad, finally being able to feel the sensations of "having her atoms scattered back and forth across the galaxy," to quote McCoy. She hadn't had the chance earlier with those aliens, because they had knocked her out. 

Jessie turned to Kirk. "They're taking Allison to Sickbay, right? Could you show us the way?" 

"I think it's the least we could do," Kirk said. "But I have to get back to the bridge, so Mister Scott will show you the way." Then he walked through the doors, and disappeared down the corridor. 

"Aye, follow me," Scotty said as they left the transporter room. "So, where are ye both from?" he asked them as they walked. 

"I'm from Michigan," Jessie said, then mentally slapped herself. Scotty doesn't know you're not from this century! she reminded herself. Let alone that you were human. 

"Michigan? Aye, but that's on Earth!" 

"Uh...yeah. Umm...we're not exactly from around here, though..." Jessie said. 

"Of course ye are!" Scotty objected. "Earth isn't that far away, though I never heard of a Klingon bein' allowed to live there." 

Jessie glanced at Michael. "We might as well tell him," Michael said. 

"I wasn't a Klingon until about two hours ago," Jessie started. "And we're not from this time, all seven of us are from the twenty-first century." 

"The twenty-FIRST century? Aye, that IS a different way o' lookin' at things. How'd ye end up here?" Scotty asked, sounding interested. 

"We're not sure exactly," Michael said. "We were at a Star Tre-" The rest was muffled by Jessie's hand, which she had hurriedly slapped across his mouth. 

"Don't tell him we know all about them," Jessie warned in a whisper, so the engineer couldn't overhear. "Who knows how that'll change what's supposed to happen in the movies and stuff?" When Michael nodded slightly, she released him and turned to a puzzled Scotty. "Uh...we're not supposed to say where we were," she said truthfully. 

Scotty nodded slowly, unconvinced. "Well, we can't help that now can we?" He finally stopped in front of a sliding door. "Here's Sickbay," he said. "Doctor McCoy and that Vulcan friend o' yours should be inside." 

"Thanks," Jessie said, and dragged Michael through the doors before he decided to say something stupid. 

Inside Sickbay was just how Gene Roddenbery had shown it; white, clean, and smelling faintly of Tennessee whiskey. Busy noises came from the connected room, obviously where McCoy was looking over Allison and trying to find out what was wrong. 

On the other side of the Sickbay "lounge" were the other four teens, in various states of emotion or non-emotion. Kristian was examining the computer terminal on McCoy's desk while May tried to keep him from even touching it, Steve was looking over a map of the Enterprise in hopes of finding the cafeteria, and Lia was in the midst of a nervous breakdown. Rolling her eyes, Jessie sat down in a chair near the wall and watched the time-traveled teens basically flip out over the fact that they were actually on THE Enterprise, NCC-1701. 

Jessie set her new bat'leth on her lap, looking at the weapon closely. Much more real than the plastic one Allison had been fooling around with at the convention. Hard to believe it was real, and that the reflection she saw in the smooth metal was actually hers. 

And as she stared at her image, she wondered if her life would ever be normal again. 

~~~~~~~ 

About fifteen minutes later, Doctor McCoy walked through the door alone. He looked slightly more relaxed than when they had last seen him, which almost instantly reassured everyone that Allison was going to be okay. 

"How is she?" Kristian asked, quickly stepping away from McCoy's desk and trying to look innocent. 

"Well as far as I can tell, there were a few factors influencing her condition," McCoy began. "First of all, she's a complete Vulcan. The temperature on that ship was set far lower than what she could stand. Spock's lucky, he's only half-Vulcan so the lower temperature of Earth-normal doesn't bother him that much." 

"That sounds logical," May commented. 

"A simple bioscan showed that she had recently undergone a massive genetic mutation, changing her mental patterns quite a bit," McCoy continued as if he had never been interrupted. "Some kind of experiment, I presume?" 

"You could say that," Jessie said. 

"And the third thing..." McCoy looked down at the PADD in his hands and frowned. "She has the strangest menagerie of medical conditions I have ever seen, and some of them were wiped out two centuries ago. Scoliosis, costrochronditis, far-sightedness..." He shook his head. "I just don't get why she's had them this long. Vulcans don't normally get human medical conditions, but this one has to be a first." 

Jessie blinked, a bit confused. "Didn't Captain Kirk tell you?" 

"Tell me what?" 

Jessie glanced at the others, who all silently urged her on. "We're from the twenty-first century, and we were abducted a few hours ago by some aliens who did experiments on us," she explained. "All of us were human no more than a day ago." 

Instead of reacting in absolute shock as they had expected, McCoy smiled and looked relieved. "Well, that certainly is good news. Now I know for certain that she'll be fine after a few hours of rest. Nothing major to worry about." 

Steve looked up from the map he had been looking at. "What's the stardate?" 

McCoy was caught off guard. "4836.5...wait a minute, I thought you said you were from the past," he said, looking confused. "How do you kids know all this?" 

The six exchanged glances, and then May took a very creased paper from her pocket, unfolding it and pointing to each character in turn. "This is Captain Kirk, and there's Spock...Lieutenant Commander Scott..." 

Kristian caught on almost instantly, and pointed to three more. "Ensign Chekov, Lieutenant Uhura, and Lieutenant Sulu," he offered. He pointed to the last one. "And this one's you." 

McCoy snatched the old poster away and looked over it, staring in disbelief. He finally looked up to the kids. "Where the HELL did you get THIS?" he asked, dumbfounded. 

Jessie continued the recitation. "We are currently on board the U.S.S. Enterprise, registry number NCC-1701, Constitution class." 

Steve, meanwhile, was looking over an old Trek episode guide, looking at the Stardates. "Hey guys, we got here just in time to see `The Paradise Syndrome' in real life," he called. "It should occur in about a week." 

"Allison should be happy," Kristian mused aloud, talking to Steve. "That's one of her favorite episodes." 

Lia finally spoke up. "Doctor McCoy, I think the explanation should wait until Captain Kirk can come down here and listen too. And I think Allison should explain it when she wakes up. She knows more about this than the rest of us do." 

McCoy, shocked almost speechless, just nodded. "Uh...I'll call Jim down here at my first chance," he said. "Alpha shift gets over in two hours, and your friend should be awake by then." He looked around at the six teenagers, as if noticing their alien features for the first time. "So, were all of you mutated?" 

"Well...we were all unconscious at the same time for a while, so it's possible they might have experimented on all of us," Kristian said. 

"But Lia, Michael, and I are all still human," Steve objected. 

"On outward appearance, that's right," May cut in. "But they might have done something else to you...I dunno, gave you superpowers or something." 

"Cool!" Michael yelled, making the two half-Vulcans wince from their enhanced hearing. 

"It's gonna be a LONG night in the lab," McCoy grumbled. "I just know it." Sighing, he took out a medical tricorder and began to scan each one in turn. 

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.6.7 -->


	6. The Interrogation...Er,

Kirk leaned back in his chair. "That is the most ridiculous story I've ever heard," he said. "Let me get this straight. Back in the last twentieth century, some guy named Gene Roddenbery made a...what did you call it? Television show? A television show, about all of us on the _Enterprise_, and you claim to know everything about our previous missions. And those to come."

"That's pretty much it, Jim," Allison said, emphasizing the nickname. Kirk looked a bit more surprised at the fact that she called him that, instead of 'Captain Kirk' as all the others had used. And she seemed the most comfortable speaking with him, almost as if she had known him for years.

They were in one of the _Enterprise_'s briefing rooms; just Allison, Captain Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. The other six teenagers were getting used to their new quarters, having already been questioned by the three officers. Allison had just finished a rather detailed explanation about the _Star Trek_ original series, and mentioned a few points of interest that fit the facts exactly.

Kirk thought hard. "I want proof," he said finally. "Since you know all this...what was our most recent mission of importance?"

"It was on Stardate 4768.3," Allison started. "You, Spock, McCoy, and Muhall beamed down to a nearly-deserted planet. There, you met Sargon, Thalassa, and Henoch, who then temporarily took over your bodies in order to build android forms for themselves." She noticed Kirk's look of absolute shock, but kept going. "Henoch, in Spock's body, poisoned you and you 'died' for a few hours, until Sargon and Thalassa worked together to put your mind back in your body. Then you had McCoy 'kill' Spock, getting rid of Henoch and returning Spock's mind from Nurse Chapel's body." She smiled slightly. "That was one of my favorite episodes," she added.

Kirk sputtered incomprehensibly for a few moments. "That's incredible," he said at last, stunned.

"Fascinating," Spock agreed. "She appears to know everything about that mission. Allison, are there any other mission you would care to mention as proof of your knowledge?"

Allison looked over at Spock, one Vulcan eyebrow raised in a quizzical expression. "How about the Babel conference, Spock? That was when Kirk first met your parents, a Vulcan male named Sarek and a human woman named Amanda. That was also the mission where the murder of a Tellarite was carried out, and an attempted murder of Jim by a cosmetically-altered Orion that appeared to be an Andorian who eventually suicided. Jim got put in Sickbay for a while, which he wasn't happy with, but Bones 'finally got the last word' as he put it."

"I think that's proof enough that she knows almost everything there is to know about us," McCoy put in, directing his comments at Kirk. "Two instances, some details kept secret, and she knows them all by heart. Hell, she even knows our nicknames and uses them freely!"

"Would you prefer if I called you Leonard?" Allison asked the doctor.

"All right, that's enough, dammit! This is getting spooky!" McCoy said, standing up. "How'd you know my first name?"

"Leonard Horatio McCoy, I already told you," Allison said, enjoying the look of absolute astonishment on their faces. "I've researched you guys. I've watched the episodes. I know your name, I know Jimmy's whole name...I know all the senior officers like the back of my hand. And, unfortunately, I can tell each and every one of you exactly how and when you are going to die. Of course, some of you die multiple times..."

Spock lifted an eyebrow. "Fascinating."

"Jim and Bones have already died at least once," Allison said. "McCoy died on the amusement park planet, and Jim has 'died' about four times by now." She smiled. "Don't worry Jimmy, you've got three more deaths comin' up of your own." She looked over at Spock. "You're going to die at least once that I know of, Spock."

"Can you tell us anything else about the future?" Kirk asked, captivated by the amazing revelations this girl had given them.

Allison shook her head. "No, I can't."

"Why not?" McCoy asked, puzzled.

"If I tell you...what I know may never come true," Allison tried to explain. "For example, if I told you exactly where and when your enemies would attack you on a mission and you purposefully avoided them, it may change the entire future as we know it...as I know it, rather."

"Quite logical," Spock stated.

"If you want more proof that I know all this, listen to me," Allison said. "In seven or eight days, you're going to get an important order from Starfleet Command regarding an asteroid on a collision course with a planet." She looked directly at Kirk. "You will not be aboard the _Enterprise_ for more than two months during the mission," she said plainly. "But only you. And you will not know it, either." She stood up. "I believe I have told you all that I can safely give at this time."

"Yes, I'd say that's quite enough," Kirk said, still wondering about her last enigmatic clue. "Mister Spock will escort you to your quarters."

Allison nodded. "Thank you, Captain Kirk." And with that, she and Spock exited the room with all the stealth of two shadows.

"What do you think she meant by it, Jim?" McCoy asked Kirk. Both were still seated at opposite ends of the table, but it was obvious what McCoy was asking.

"If I knew, Doctor, it wouldn't be a mystery," Kirk said, pondering the unusual human-turned-Vulcan girl. "So Bones, what did your bioscans tell you about these kids?"

"Well, several of them had to be treated for vision and skin problems, and one of them for misaligned teeth, but other than that they are just your average teenagers," McCoy said.

"I want your COMPLETE report, Bones," Kirk clarified. "I want specifics."

McCoy looked down at his PADD. "Well...the two half-Vulcans are just about identical to Spock, as far as sensation and degree of change from human normal. Kristian has a higher IQ than any other person his age I've ever seen, and May has obviously gained quite a bit of IQ points since mutation. They can both stand Earth-normal temperature with only slight discomfort." He looked under their entries. "The half-Klingon girl, Jessie, has benefited from the physical aspects of the Klingons and also some of their martial arts skills. She's also showing signs of heightened senses and an added craving for adventure and battle."

"What about the three humans?" Kirk asked.

McCoy frowned down at the PADD. "They're the strangest of the lot. They haven't changed in appearance, but all were altered at the same time as the others. Michael has somehow gained telepathic and telekinetic powers, though he's still having a hard time controlling them with finesse. Lia is a partial shapeshifter, able to take on another form for about two minutes at a time. Earlier today, she did an exact duplication of me so precise I thought my mirror had come to life."

Kirk tried not to laugh at the mental picture that brought up. "What about the last one?"

"Steve has regenerative powers," McCoy said. "He accidentally cut his hand on Jessie's _bat'leth_, but the cut healed within minutes without a trace. Medical scans indicate that he will even be able to grow new limbs should they ever be amputated."

"Hmm. Most peculiar. What about Allison, Bones?"

"Well, putting her massive knowledge aside, she is a normal Vulcan in almost every way. Jessie tells me that before the mutation, Allison was near-sighted and needed a special kind of lens to correct her vision. But now, she's far-sighted instead. A side effect from the mutation, I think. Either way, I can't correct it. None of the available treatments will work on her, and the ones we don't have access to would cause a violent allergic reaction. She'll need a new pair of glasses, or everything close to her will be seen as a blur. I've already sent in a request to some antique shops I know on Earth who have been known to carry that kind of thing." McCoy sighed. "She's a really special case, Jim. I had to treat two nearly unheard-of diseases that she tells me she's had for years...and as for the problem with temperature, I've prepared special quarters for her set specifically for Vulcan-norm and provided a hypospray compound for the times she is out of the room. With luck, she should be able to stand a lower temperature eventually."

"Sounds like they've been keeping you busy," Kirk said, slightly amused.

"Believe me Jim," McCoy said, "You have NO idea."

~~~~~~~

Allison and Spock stopped right outside the doors of the younger Vulcan's quarters. "These are your quarters," Spock said. "The temperature settings have been placed at a comfortable Vulcan level for the duration of your stay."

"Thank you, Spock," Allison said. "I just wish I could have been human during all this."

"I cannot claim to know what the experience of mutation feels like," Spock admitted. "However, I do sympathize."

"Don't worry about that," Allison said, thinking back to another episode yet to come. "You and Jim will get first-hand experience in that area in about two years."

If Spock found anything strange with that statement, he didn't mention it. "I am curious. Why do you refer to us by our names, rather than our earned ranks?"

Allison grinned a little sheepishly. "Back in the twenty-first century, when I watched the episodes I would get used to calling you by your names rather than your ranks. If I discussed a mission I saw with anyone, I would usually use nicknames. For example, ever since I became a Trekkie I've called McCoy 'Bones,' I've called Captain Kirk 'Jim,' and I would name all the other senior officers by their first names. It just became a habit, I guess. I never thought I'd get to meet any of you in person."

"Understandable," Spock agreed. "In that case, I believe the Captain will not mind if you continue to use our given names."

"I tend to agree." She looked up at him. "Well, I guess you've got work to do, right?"

"Correct," he confirmed. "However, talking with you has proved to be a fascinating experience. Perhaps after I am off duty, we can discuss this... 'Star Trek' in more detail."

"Okay. Well, see you around." Then she went into her quarters, leaving the older Vulcan to his own thoughts as he made his way to the bridge. 


	7. The Message

_"Captain's Log, Stardate 4837.2. The seven children have been on board for several days now, and have told us much of their century. I will contact Starfleet Command and inform them of our situation, as well as seek proof for Allison's statements. This Vulcan girl...there's something odd about her...I can't place my finger on it, but I've got an unusual feeling about her. Almost like she's been watching my every move. I don't think she's dangerous...it just feels unnerving to be known in such a manner. I can't explain it, but it's almost like she's closer to me than anyone ever has been. It's not love, I can tell that much, but it's almost like...I don't know. Something strange...end log."_

"Bridge to Captain Kirk," Uhura's voice cut through Kirk's thoughts.

He punched the comm button on his desk. "Kirk here."

"I have Starfleet Command on a secure channel," Uhura explained. "A personal response to your last report, I believe."

"Thank you Uhura, put it through down here." He straightened his shirt and waited patiently, and at last the screen in front of him fizzled and took the image of Admiral Davis. "Admiral, this is an unexpected pleasure," Kirk said, forcing a smile. "What can I do for you?"

"I've just finished reading your report on the time travelers," Davis said seriously. "A very impressive amount of knowledge on the part of these children. However, we at Starfleet believe that they fall under the protection of the Prime Directive."

It took all of his self-control not to leap from his chair and demand an explanation. "Admiral...I fail to see how time travel fits under the Prime Directive," he said instead, struggling to remain calm. "They obviously already knew about us long before the incident ever occured, and I don't see how anything else we do could affect them."

"Captain...Starfleet believes the best course of action is to perform a memory-wipe on all seven, revert them to normal, and then return them to their proper timeline," Davis said. "No one will ever know they were missing."

Kirk shook his head. "Sorry Admiral, but that just wouldn't work. Doctor McCoy has thoroughly examined each person, and all the results are the same. None of them can have reverse mutation back to normal human. They would most certainly disrupt the timeline back on Earth of the past if we were to return a handful of alien children."

Admiral Davis' brow furrowed as he contemplated this new information. At last, he spoke. "I see your point, Kirk. The children are in much less danger here than they would be in their timeline. Very well, they may remain aboard the _Enterprise_ until Starfleet reaches an official conclusion. Which brings me to your current orders." He looked directly at Kirk. "An asteroid is on collision with an M-Class planet, which lies approximately two hundred seven lightyears away from your current position. Your mission is to scout out the planet for intelligent life and if it supports any, you are to use all means necessary to deflect the asteroid from its current course."

Kirk felt a chill run up his spine. _Allison was right..._"Yes sir." He swallowed hard. "Anything else?"

The Admiral studied him curiously, wondering at his sudden unease. "That is all, Captain. Admiral Davis, out." The picture winked off, and Kirk exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

He sat in silence for a few moments, then clicked on his deck communicator again. "Kirk to bridge."

"Spock here," the smooth Vulcan voice replied.

"Spock, I need to see you in my quarters," Kirk said, taking careful assurances that his voice did not waver. "We have new orders about the children."

"I'm on my way, Captain." A click indicated that he had cut transmission.

Kirk opened another channel. "Kirk to Sickbay. Bones, I need you to meet me and Spock in my quarters on the double. Kirk out."

~~~~~~~

"She was right," Kirk said, staring at his desk. "Admiral Davis called me today with new orders." He raised his eyes to his two friends, who were looking slightly bewildered by all this. "An asteroid is on a collision course for a small planet nearby. We're being sent to investigate."

"Jim, we can't!" McCoy blurted instantly. "If Allison is right, then you'll be in danger the entire time! And what did she mean by you won't be on board for two months, and without us knowing it?"

Spock looked thoughtful. "Actually Doctor, she stated that the Captain would not know it. She did not speak about anyone else."

"Yes..." Kirk agreed, absently rubbing his jaw. "A rather cryptic response..." He frowned. "It's really too bad that we can't just ask her what's going to happen. But, since this all obviously will happen...we have to take the mission. We'd be altering the future as she knows it, and then if we needed advice on a situation there would be no one to turn to."

"A logical conclusion, Captain," Spock admitted.

"Well, is that all, Jim?" McCoy asked, sounding disappointed. "Or are you gonna give me something to complain about?"

Kirk smiled a little. "Oh, nothing much. Just that all the children have requested to join Starfleet."

~~~~~~~

Allison looked at her reflection in the mirror again, admiring the gold ensign uniform. At her insistance, she had been given a uniform similar to those worn by the men, rather than be stuck in a miniskirt and low-collared shirt. She was one of the only females on board who were privileged enough to wear pants, with the other time-traveling teens in similar situations.

The door chime warbled, and Allison turned around. "Come in."

Jessie walked in, sporting a brand-new blue uniform of ensign rank. She barely flinched at the increased temperature of the room. "This is soooo cool!" she exclaimed. "We are actually members of the _Enterprise_ crew now!"

"Yeah, but unlike certain other people, I intend to work toward promotion," Allison jabbed good-naturedly. "The rank of ensign may fit a lowly Klingon, but a Vulcan deserves more of...say, a Captain's rank." She had to duck, laughing, as Jessie chucked a nearby PADD at her head. "Ooh, temper, temper," she scolded.

"One of these days, you're gonna get it," Jessie grumbled, but she knew it was a joke.

"So, what brings you here?" Allison asked, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "Come to pay a visit to the only full-blooded alien on board?"

"Nothing much, except I thought you'd like to know that Michael is flipping out over being a red shirt," Jessie said, sitting down in a chair.

Allison chuckled. "Lemme guess...he BEGGED for that color, right?"

"Pretty much," Jessie admitted. "I don't think he realizes that in TOS, the red shirts always die first."

"How are the others doing?" Allison asked, after the image of a lunatic red shirt Michael faded from her mind.

"They're doing okay, considering. Steve is thinking about becoming a medic, evidently. He's been practically beaming over the fact that McCoy lets him help out in Sickbay," Jessie said. "Lia and May are both trying out more scientific stations. Kristian's already dead-set on being a Science Officer, and I think he's starting to annoy Spock since he started following him all around."

"It honestly wouldn't surprise me," Allison admitted. "Spock's a more emotional person than he lets on. So, what about you?"

"Honestly, I'm thinking about going with Security. As long as I don't have to wear red. And you?"

"Oh, I'm going right up the Command Track," Allison answered truthfully. "I'm going to start Bridge duty tomorrow, at the Navigational console. You know, Chekov's normal spot. Then, hopefully, I'll eventually get promoted and work my way up to Captain of a starship."

Jessie laughed. "You're joking."

Allison's face remained unchanged. "No, I am not. Why would I joke about something like this?" She looked at her friend closely. "You don't think I could handle it, do you? You insult my honor?"

Jessie knew right away that she had made a mistake, as soon as the word "honor" was spoken. To a Klingon, honor was everything. And to a Vulcan, it was maybe just a bit more. Especially to a Vulcan who had not yet learned to control and conceal her emotions.

Thousands of years ago, Vulcans had been savage barbarians, killing one another in massive bloody wars. After Surak realized the truth, he led the Vulcans to peace and logic. But even then, no Vulcan had managed to rid themselves of their instinctual violent nature unless they were a master of the _Kohlinar_ disciplines. Allison was no such master.

"Now Allison, you know I didn't mean anything bad by that.." Jessie said quickly, trying to avert the oncoming conflict. "I just meant that with your personality and experience, I don't think you're capable of commanding a starship. Let alone reaching the rank of Commander." She meant the last part as a joke, a harmless little comment. But Allison, still not used to these new feelings, took it literally.

Allison narrowed her eyes at her friend. "_T'kevaidors a skelitus dunt'ryala aikriian paselitan...Toriatal,_" she spoke in an alien tongue, fury burning in her eyes.

Jessie's mind raced. What language had she spoken? What words were said? She was obviously waiting for an answer, and if she gave the wrong one there was no telling what might happen.

The words came to her automatically. "_MaSuv? HlhlvQo'! Jlbup!_" She spoke with a harsh Klingon infliction, somehow knowing exactly what to say.

Allison's expression did not change. "You do not wish to fight me?"

Jessie almost sighed in relief, now that she could understand her friend. "No, Allison. You are my friend. _Jlmev. JlSagh._ I won't do that again."

"Good." There was an awkward silence, but the savage feelings from both girls were gone. Allison walked over to the end of her bed and sat down, wearily running a hand through her hair. "Man, I don't know what just came over me. How did I know what to say?"

"What DID you say?" Jessie asked. "I couldn't understand what language it was."

"It's an ancient Vulcan dialect, called Old High Vulcan," Allison explained. "On occasion, the Vulcans on _Star Trek_ used that language instead of English. What I said would be roughly translated as, 'I challenge you to a fight to the death.'"

Jessie's eyes went wide. "Whoa. It is SO lucky we didn't go through on that."

"Now, it's your turn."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You spoke Klingon back there. At the convention, you told me that all you knew how to say was _qapla'_. How did YOU know what to say?"

Jessie pondered that, not fully understanding it herself. "I'm not exactly sure. It kind of came instinctively, and I'm not even sure what I said."

"Well, the first thing you said was 'We fight? No, don't attack me, I quit.' Then you said, 'I will stop, and I speak the truth.' Or something along those lines," Allison explained. When Jessie answered with nothing but a stare, she elaborated. "I bought the _Klingon-English Dictionary_ and studied it a while ago. I basically learned how to fluently speak Klingon, and it only took me about three months. Trust me, High Old Vulcan is a lot harder."

The comm unit whistled, and Allison reluctantly answered it. "Ensign Danks, here."

"Ensign, this is Spock. Meet me at my quarters in ten Standard minutes."

Allison looked puzzled, but answered the unusual order. "Acknowledged." She snapped off the channel and turned back to Jessie. "Well, it seems duty calls," she said. "See you around, Jess."

"Same to you."

Both of them headed for the door. When Jessie reached it, she turned to face Allison. "No matter what, I'll still be your friend, right?" she asked.

Allison allowed herself a faint smile. "I have been, and always will be, your friend."

Jessie grinned. "Thank you, Miss Trekkie, for that wonderful quote."

"Any time." 


	8. Training

As of a few weeks ago, _Star Trekkies_ has a message board: http://pub31.ezboard.com/bstartrekkies . Please visit, if you are a part of this fic. (I need lots of members, so come even if you're not part of the story, please.)

  
**Chapter Eight - Training**  
McCoy watched over Steve's shoulder as the teen looked over a PADD. "You're learning pretty quick," he commented. "That shouldn't be possible for someone from your time. Most of this stuff should be way over your head."

"Yeah, well...I've seen enough _Star Trek_ to know most of this already," Steve said, putting down the PADD. "You know, I really like your technology. It's so much better than the sort of things I'm used to."

"I can imagine so." McCoy glanced at the PADD and whistled. "Wow, you're on that one already? I'm not sure if I can keep up with you. There's not much left to go."

"And then what happens, after I finish learning all this?" Steve asked, leaning back in the chair. The two were alone in Sickbay, and the ship was relatively quiet. A somewhat bad sign, when it came to the _Enterprise_. But Steve knew nothing major would happen, or he would have heard about it.

"Well, if you pass with flying colors, I guess you can start working as a member of my staff down here," McCoy said. "Really no reason why you shouldn't. Besides, taking into account the routine missions we happen to be assigned to, I think I could use an extra hand."

Steve grinned. "Cool. Where's the next PADD?"

McCoy sighed and went off to find the next data file sequence, grumbling about time travel and 'them damn alien kidnappers.' A few minutes later, he returned with a new data disk and flipped it through the air at Steve. The teenager caught it without looking, and McCoy sighed in mock annoyance.

"If you need me, which I doubt, I'll be up on the bridge," McCoy said before striding out the doors. Steve watched him go, grinning.

"Boy, he's in a mood, ain't he?"

~~~~~~~

Kristian studied his adversary closely for a moment. He scratched a pointed ear as he thought hard. Seeing an opening, he lunged forward and made his move.

"Hah! Check," he told the computer.

The 3-D chessboard hadn't been too hard to master, and the ship's computer made a great opponent. In between science lessons with Spock, he took the liberty of playing a few friendly games. He had lost two games, but the other three had ended in a stalemate. Of course, since Spock himself had programmed the chess computer, it was very hard to defeat.

The computer moved its white queen three squares from Kristian's black king, also conventiently eliminating Kristian's knight, releasing its own king from check. "Checkmate," the computer announced in monotone.

Kristian cursed and leaned back, studying the board. "I think I need a living opponent. You're too hard," he told the computer. It didn't reply.

From the next table over, May snickered. "Having a bit of trouble over there?"

"Hey, don't knock it 'till you've tried it."

The Recreation Room was mostly empty, with some of the junior officers hanging around. A group of five blue shirts were playing poker in the corner, a red shirt was reading a PADD, and a few yellow shirts were having a gossip session a few tables away.

Lia entered the room and sat down at the same table as May. "So, when's the next science lesson with Commander Spock? I wanna learn all this stuff and get working for real." She grumbled a little. "I hear Allison starts work on the bridge tomorrow. Lucky her."

Kristian's sharp Vulcan hearing picked up that last part easily. "She WHAT? Already?"

"Yeah. Evidently there's a certain officer who's taken a liking to her company," Lia said, winking. "You know, tall, dark, handsome, pointed ears..."

"Be realistic. Spock's married, remember?" May reminded her. "Besides, even if he wasn't, don't you think she's a bit young for him?"

"Hey, at least it isn't Kirk who's got an eye out for her."

"True, true..."

Kristian rolled his eyes and reset the chessboard. "Your move first," he told the computer.

"Acknowledged," came the familiar voice, and the game continued.

~~~~~~~

Spock stood in his quarters, next to his desk, pondering. His study of the alien kidnappers was a fascinating project, but it was quite obvious that the children should be his top priority. The Vulcan ones, in any case. It was clear that they had no experience in controlling emotions and Vulcan instincts. He had called Allison, so he could begin to teach her the _Kolinahr_ disciplines. She was the most at risk from emotional rages, being the only fully-changed child in the group. He also wanted to mind meld with her, to see how exactly the aliens had transformed her. Verbal descriptions were vague at best, and sensation of change was much more preferable.

His door signaled, and he turned around to face it. "Come."

The orange-red door swooshed open and the young Vulcan walked in, looking a bit disturbed. "You requested my presence, sir?" she asked.

"Yes, Ensign. Please be seated." He gestured toward a chair next to the wall, and she took it. He stood in front of her and began to speak. "I am sure you are aware that Vulcan instincts are highly emotional, irrational, and violent. We Vulcans have learned logic and peace, but the animal nature of our species still exists. You were not raised as a Vulcan. Rather, you were raised in the typical human manner of your time. Therefore you do not have control over your instictive emotional reactions to various stimuli."

He noted with interest that Allison's face flushed a light olive shade. A blushing Vulcan certainly made an odd sight. "That is most certainly true, sir."

"I have reached the conlcusion that you, as well as the other Vulcan children, must be taught the _Kolinahr_ disciplines," Spock continued, and watched her react with familiarity. Interesting. "Let us drop the formalities for now, Allison. Right now, I am merely a teacher."

Allison nodded. "About those instinctual reactions you talked about...I'd already figured that part out on my own." Her blush deepened, matching her eyes almost exactly. "Jessie and I...well, we sort of got into a fight. Almost," she hurried to add, before Spock said anything. "We yelled at each other, but never actually threw any punches. The weird part was the fact that we both spoke in languages we don't know. Jessie, in Klingon; and I, in Old High Vulcan."

Spock's eyebrow almost reached his hairline, betraying his surprise. "Fascinating."

"Indeed."

"What did you say to her?" Spock asked, curious.

Allison took a deep breath before replying. "I issued the ancient challange of Toriatal."

THAT succeeded in surprising Spock. "YOU issued the ancient Toriatal challange? With no prior knowledge of the Vulcan language? Most peculiar." He hesitated. "Allison...I am about to ask a very personal favor. You may refuse it if you wish, it is not very important..."

"Spock, I'm all ears." Then she giggled a little after realizing what she had said.

Spock ignored the unintentional pun. "I request that you allow a mind meld. I am aware you have never melded before, and know nothing of the process..."

Allison raised an eyebrow, indicating amusement. "Really, Spock?" She shook her head. "All right. I'll agree to the meld, but with one condition."

"Name it."

"If you start to see ANYTHING that may reveal the future to you, terminate the meld. Under no circumstances must you continue to corrupt the future. Past events should be okay, but anything else must not be tampered with." She was deadly serious. "The temporal investigators will be after me as it is."

"Agreed. You may want to remain seated. First Melds are often...overwhelming." And with that, he reached over to her, finger splayed, seeking out the _katra_ points of her face.

~~~~~~~

Jessie entered the Rec Room a few minutes after Lia. She sat down at the table, only glancing briefly at the PADD in her hand before putting it face-down on the table and folding her arms. "So, what's the latest?" she asked. "And does anyone know why Spock called Allison to his quarters?"

Lia erupted into giggles at that, and May was hiding a smile. Kristian sighed from the next table over, losing yet another chess match against the computer.

Jessie frowned. "What'd I say?" 


	9. Hidden Meanings

Warning: This chapter deals with some still-touchy subjects about last September. Do not accept what I say to be truth, because it is not. Please do not flame me either, because this issue had to come up sometime. It's unavoidable.

  
  
**Chapter Nine - Hidden Meanings**  
The instant Spock's hand touched Allison's face, a warm feeling washed over her. For a moment, she forgot everything; where she was, what she was doing, and why she was mind-melding with Spock.

Then, blind panic took over as she felt her mind being read, her thoughts being absorbed, her consciousness fading...

_Do not panic! I am here, with you. Trust me._

She relaxed almost instantly at the sound of the voice. _Okay. Proceed._

The tickling sensation spread to various parts of her brain, and she "sat back" and let Spock do whatever he wanted. Images were called up; the trip to the convention, the friendly bickering with Jessie, the abduction and blackouts. And then, at last, the mutation process that spread through her like someone had splashed water on her...

And then images, flashing past so fast it was painful...

_ I have been, and ever shall be, your friend..._

The needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many...

The probe's call is the songs sung by whales...

Where's that damn torpedo?...

They looked so familiar, yet so alien. Allison didn't realize what they were for a moment, until it finally clicked. She was reliving _Star Trek_ episodes!

_Kroykah!_ she thought desperately, not realizing she was speaking in Old High Vulcan until after it was done.

The whirlwind of images stopped, frozen on a representation of Spock himself.

And then, slowly, the tendrils of thought retreated. The heightened senses gave way until all she felt were Spock's fingers on her face. Then, even those were gone.

She opened her eyes, breathing harshly. "Oh my..."

"Are you well, Ensign?" Spock asked, geniunely concerned.

"I think so, sir. Just give me a minute."

Spock nodded and stood, slowly walking over to his desk and trying to sort out the hurricane of memory that he had been assaulted with. So many images...both of his shipmates, and of the young Vulcan herself. He had seen almost her entire life, flashing by in an instant. There were things he did not wish to see. Death. Devestation. Remorse and heartbreak.

"What year were you abducted?" Spock asked, his voice rough and slow from the shock of absorbing so many thoughts at once.

"Near the end of 2001," Allison replied, quickly recovering from the mind-meld. "September 21st or so."

Spock turned around slowly, unmasked shock radiating from his sharp features. "The beginning of World War Three," he breathed in surprise.

Allison's eyes grew wide. "World War THREE?"

Spock nodded, standing straight and tall. "It was too early for you to tell at that time," he admitted. "It all began with-"

"The crashes at the twin towers," Allison interrupted, finishing his sentance.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Correct. The United States retaliated against the terrorist Osama bin Laden and his allies, leaving the Middle East in ruins for several years. In 2016, a massive military strike against the United States was carried out by survivors of the Afghani Taliban. Thus, World War Three began. It lasted for fourteen years. The United States were victorious in the end. However, much of the country was bombed before the Taliban was eliminated."

Allison just sat in shock. "I didn't think it'd be that bad...Spock, was Michigan bombed in the war?"

Spock hesitated. "Yes. Much of it remains untouched today, preserved as it was after the attack in 2017."

"Commander...do you think Captain Kirk would allow us to return to Earth for a short time, after the mission at the unnamed planet? I'd like to see what's become of my hometown." She spoke softly, carefully.

Spock nodded. "It can be arranged, if you wish it. The crew is due for shore leave soon, and no doubt many of them would like to return home for a short time. It should not be a problem."

"I'm sure Jessie will be glad to hear that, also." She didn't mention any more details, since Spock had already seen their friendship through the meld.

The two sat in silence for a moment, regaining their composure. Finally, Spock turned to face the younger Vulcan. "I noticed you have rather poor mental control," he said. "You are using crude methods to control your telepathic powers. There is an easier way..."

It would be several hours before the lesson was finished.

~~~~~~~

Ship's night.

Most of the crew were asleep in their cabins, humans and Vulcans alike. The night command crew took their positions on the bridge as if nothing were different. The nocturnal Security teams patrolled the halls with hourly rounds, as per regulations. All was quiet.

But in one cabin, all was not peaceful.

Michael's sleep was troubled, and he tossed and turned on his narrow bunk. He was deep in dreams, visions, images of the future...

_ He clung to the sturdy branch like a bird, clutching a wooden bow in one hand and sporting a quiver of arrows on his back. A tan doe stood nearby, keeping watch._

He silently dropped from the tree, landing at the side of another. "The Captain is in the village now," he reported.

"Good," the one with pointed ears replied. "All is proceeding as forseen."

"I don't think I can stand to wait for two months," the deer complained. "We're all alone now! Besides, what if they don't know we were missing?"

The other turned to her, smiling slightly. "Don't worry. Jessie will definately notice."

"In the meantime, what do we do?" he asked the two. "Do we stay out here, or do we join the people in the village and hope to keep from notice?"

"For now, we stay. If we are needed, we will venture to the village."

"Sounds like a plan to me. I don't really care for getting shot," the deer said.

"Then shapeshift, smart one."

"Fine then." The deer-form flowed into a human girl with brown-red hair. "Man, I wish I was at home..."

Michael awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright for a moment and breathing harshly. His dream refused to leave his memory, and he wondered if it was some kind of message. After all, his telepathy was not under complete control yet.

He glanced at the chronometer, and groaned when he saw that it was almost time for alpha shift. He was really not looking forward to facing his "boss," Security Chief Chekov, this early in the morning.

Sighing, he reached over for a fresh shirt. 


	10. Preparations

**Chapter Ten - Preparations**  
Allison tried not to look or feel nervous as she stepped onto the bridge for the first time. Everything was just as she remembered: light gray walls in a circular room, with a large viewscreen on the "forward" wall. There was a "lower level" , where the helm/navigation console and the command chair were located. Uhura was at the communications station to the right of the 'lift doors, and Scott was at the engineering station on the left.

The night shift navigator, a young blond man, got out of his seat as Allison walked up. "She's all yours," he said, and she nodded politely. As the 'lift doors shut behind him, Allison sat down in the black chair next to Sulu.

"So you're the new Vulcan ensign, aren't you?" Sulu asked quietly, startling her.

"What? Oh yes, that's me. I'm Allison."

"I'm Hikaru Sulu."

She gave him an odd smile. "I know."

Before he could ask what she meant by that, the turbolift doors hissed open and Spock stepped onto the bridge. Surveying the officers with a practiced eye, the older Vulcan took his station at the science console.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were Terran ," Sulu said in a lower voice.

Allison sighed. "I'm not _Dvel'nahr_ , Hikaru." Seeing his puzzled look at the Vulcan word, she translated. "I'm not Vulcan by choice. And I certainly wasn't born this way." Suddenly self-conscious, she touched an eartip. "It's a long story, one that I hope I get the chance to tell."

Sulu nodded and turned back to his console, looking at the readings to make sure everything was okay. Taking advantage of the silence, Allison studied her console. Phasers on left, photon torpedoes on right, targeting on middle right. Computed course tie-in located in the center left. Minor sensors on top. Easy enough to use, and she was already familiar with its operation.

She checked their ETA for the asteroid. About one more day before they reached the Preserver Planet. And then...what? She had this odd feeling about the planet, something that had failed to affect her whenever she watched the episode "The Paradise Syndrome." She felt as if she didn't belong on the ship with Spock and her friends. No, something was drawing her to the planet. Something important.

But she couldn't pin down what it was.

~~~~~~~

During the mid-shift break, the alpha shift was in the mess hall, getting lunch. Allison got a bowl of _Fori-kol_, a type of Vulcan vegetable stew, and took a seat at an empty table. She was almost halfway done when Jessie came in, and it wasn't long before the Klingon girl was seated across the table from her friend, munching on an apple.

"So, what's the news from the bridge?" Jessie asked.

"_Veh gad abi' lashan_," Allison replied sadly. "_Khart-lan _Kirk _dungi pupak-tor yi_." 

Jessie blinked. "Er...say what?"

Allison didn't bother to translate. "This seems so...wrong, somehow. I feel like I shouldn't be here, on the _Enterprise_."

"None of us do," Jessie said, not understanding. "We've only been here about a week. I don't feel like I belong in this time either, because we don't."

Allison glanced up. "No, that's not what I meant. Something's drawing me to the Preserver Planet. I'm not sure what it is, but I feel almost like I HAVE to be there."

Jessie frowned. "Allison, you can't change the future. You weren't in an episode, and you have to keep it that way. Only Spock, Kirk, and McCoy are going to beam down."

Allison sighed. "Jessie..._Ki'nam-tor nash-veh heh kwon-sum dungau nam-tor t'hai'la t'du_. But even so, I cannot explain it to you. _Kaidiith_ ."

Jessie looked at her friend oddly. "Don't go crazy on me now, girl. Speak English."

"No thanks." Standing up, Allison put her bowl in the recycler and strode out the doors toward the nearest turbolift.

~~~~~~~

As Allison turned down the corridor to her quarters several hours later, Michael came up behind her. "Allison, can I talk to you for a sec?" he asked.

Allison glanced at him quizzically. "Sure. Come on in." The doors swooshed open as she came close, and they silently slid shut behind them. She turned down the heat a little and turned to face the unusually serious redshirt. "Now, what's this all about?"

"Do you believe in visions?" he asked, and Allison was abruptly reminded of his barely-contained telepathic powers.

"In your case, I should say yes. Why?"

"This morning, I had a really weird dream. I was in a forest, dressed as an Indian. And there was a talking deer, and a girl with pointed ears. We were all discussing something about getting in trouble for leaving someplace. I don't know what to make of it, and since you were in the dream..."

"Hmm. Very odd...I talked to Jessie about something similar today. I've got this strange feeling, as if I should beam down to that Preserver Planet when we get there tomorrow. I can't explain it, but it seems that SOMETHING wants me there. And evidently you and Lia, as well."

"Lia?" Michael sounded surprised.

"What other talking deer would there be?"

"Touché," he admitted. "Should we go find her?"

"No. She's taking science lessons from Spock right now. She should be done in about an hour." Her face brightened slightly. "In the meantime, do you want to go down to the Rec Room with me? Maybe play some cards?"

Michael grinned. "Sure, as long as you don't cheat."

"Cheat? Me? Hah! You make me laugh." Grabbing a deck of playing cards off her shelf, the two headed down to the Recreation Room. 


	11. Vulcans and Visions

**Chapter Eleven - Vulcans and Visions**  
Lia found the two in the Rec Room, playing poker with Chekov and Sulu. Allison looked up over the edges of her cards at Lia, and smiled. "Hey, I was wondering when Spock was gonna let you outta there." She gestured toward an empty seat. "Want us to deal you in?"

"No thanks, I'll just watch."

And watch, she did. And she just watched in astonishment as Allison won five rounds in a row.

"And you say you've never played poker before?" Sulu asked, throwing down his cards on the table and leaning back in defeat. "Pretty good for a beginner."

"Yes, how did you do it?" Chekov asked, curious.

Allison only smiled innocently and said, "Who, me?"

Michael shook his head. "That was not fair. I mean, even the TNG people played fairly compared to you." Allison shot him a glare, and he suddenly remembered where he was. "Whoops."

"Never mind, they probably don't have a clue what you meant," Allison said dismissively, shuffling the cards. She looked over at Sulu and Chekov. "Right, guys?"

"Definitely," Sulu agreed.

"Anyvay, I'm sure you didn't cheat," Chekov said to Allison. "After all, you are a Wulcan-"

"And I'm a telepath," Michael interrupted, earning a stern glance from the security chief. "So what's your point?"

Chekov only muttered something in Russian.

Sulu pushed back his chair and stood. "I think I'm done playing poker for today. That many losses in a row has me beat."

"All right Hikaru, have fun," Allison said. The helmsman nodded and wandered away. Allison looked over at Chekov. "Well, what about you, Pavel? Care to call it quits?"

"Yes, wery much so. I also do not care for losing." He nodded politely and left. Only the three time travelers remained.

Allison abruptly set aside her cards and turned to Lia, her face Vulcan-calm. "We've been waiting for you for a reason, Lia." She glanced at Michael, and he nodded. "Not here. Come to my quarters."

Puzzled, Lia followed Allison to her room, Michael in tow. The red-orange doors slid shut, and Allison engaged the privacy lock. Lia smiled nervously. "Must be important if you're locking the door," she joked.

"Trust me, it is," Michael said.

Allison dialed down the heat, and then turned around to face them. "Lia, tomorrow we arrive at the Preserver planet. Tomorrow, Captain Kirk is going to disappear, and the _Enterprise_ will be forced to leave without him. Tomorrow, we will have to abandon him for two months. To leave him alone with those Native Americans, with no memory of how he got there, nor will he remember who he is."

Lia didn't like where this was heading. "Yes, I saw that episode, 'The Paradise Syndrome.' What are you saying?"

Allison nodded toward Michael, and he spoke. "Last night, I had a dream. A vision, if you will, of the three of us. We were all down on that planet, watching over Captain Kirk."

"And lately, I've been feeling compelled to go down to that planet," Allison finished. "Therefore, we must assume that someone or someTHING wants us down there. Who knows, maybe even the Preservers themselves. But either way, the three of us must go down there are keep an eye on Jim. He may need our help."

Lia's mouth dropped open in astonishment. "OUR help? With what?"

Allison shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe we have to keep Salish away from him long enough that he isn't discovered as a 'false god' until the _Enterprise_ is almost back. Maybe we have to help him disguise the fact that he's a mortal. Heck, maybe we even have to be here to tell Spock and McCoy where to find him! Once the asteroid arrives, they will have to find him immediately." She gave them a look that could peel paint off a car. "Tell no one about what we're going to do. Not even the other time travelers. This is totally secret, do you got that?"

They both nodded, shocked at the sudden change in the Vulcan girl's attitude.

"Tomorrow, when we arrive, be ready to leave at a moment's notice," Allison instructed them. "Grab a communicator and some emergency rations, and get your butts down in the transporter room as soon as I call you. We'll have less than a half an hour to get down to the surface and find Jim. And don't let anyone know what you're doing, or where you're going."

"But we can't just waltz into the transporter room and beam down," Michael objected. "Someone will be bound to notice."

"That's why I'm going to tell one other person where we're going, and why," Allison said. "He'll understand, and he'll cover our exit. After all, with Captain Kirk missing, he'll be in charge anyway."

"You're going to tell Spock?" Lia asked, incredulous.

"You have a better idea, now's the time." She sounded suspiciously like she was quoting someone, but they didn't ask her to elaborate. "If there's no objections...?"

Michael and Lia looked at each other, and Michael shrugged.

"Good. Pack enough rations for two months. We're gonna be there for a while," Allison continued, moving toward a shelf. Grabbing a small black pouch, she began filling it with silver-wrapped emergency rations and other essentials. "Take only what you need, and nothing more. We'll have enough trouble sneaking this stuff down to the transporter room as it is."

~~~~~~~

"_Tu ertau-tor, orensu_ ," Spock observed.

Allison hesitated. "_Ha, zhel-lan . Khart-lan_ Kirk..." She couldn't find the right word in Vulcan, and so she lapsed back into Federation Standard. "I am concerned for his safety."

"Perhaps rightfully so," Spock agreed. "However, that is not all that is troubling you."

"_Rai, zhel-lan_ . It is not." She paused, gathering her thoughts and wondering how to phrase what she was about to say. "I have felt strangely ever since we began to approach the planet. It feels as though I should go down there with you and the captain tomorrow, and stay. As I told you, the captain will not be on the ship for quite some time, and I feel he may need help. Michael has also felt this way, and has even had a vision, in which Michael, Lia, and myself are down on the planet. However, we do not want to risk being court-martialed for deserting."

Spock instantly grasped her dilemma. "You need someone of higher rank to authorize your beam-down to the planet, and you wish the captain to remain unaware of your actions."

"Yes, sir."

"And you wish that person to be me."

Allison wasn't sure if she was being tested or not. "Sir, you have been inside my mind and inside my soul. I trust you as I do no other. I know you will make the right decision."

But Spock had already decided. 


	12. And..ACTION!

Chapter Twelve - And...ACTION!  
  
Kirk gazed at the small planet on the viewscreen, trying to ignore the fact that Allison was once again watching him. Her stare unsettled him, as if she could see into his very being and know his thoughts. Her odd behavior had started at the beginning of alpha shift, when Kirk assumed command for the day. Now, near the end of the watch, she was almost completely focused on Kirk.  
  
"Standard orbit achieved, Captain," Sulu reported from the helm station, and Kirk looked at him, thankful for the small distraction.  
  
"Spock, come with me. Uhura, have Doctor McCoy meet us in Transporter Room 2," Kirk ordered.  
  
"Aye, sir," Uhura responded, and turned to her board to page McCoy.  
  
Spock caught Allison's eye, and nodded slightly before following his captain into the turbolift and vanishing from sight. A few minutes later, the doors opened again to let the beta shift navigator exit. Allison rose and nodded politely to her replacement, then entered the turbolift. "Deck Five," she told the computer, and it hummed into action.  
  
The 'lift deposited her a few meters away from her quarters, and she entered quickly and grabbed her black bag. Moving to her desk, she toggled her comm switch. "Allison to Lia."  
  
"Lia here. Is it time?"  
  
"Yep. Meet you in Transporter Room 3. Allison out." She switched over to another channel. "Allison to Michael."  
  
"Michael here. All set. Which room?"  
  
"Transporter Room 3. Lia's on her way."  
  
"Okay, got it. Michael out."  
  
Allison switched off her comm unit and looked around for one last time. It would be two months before she saw this ship again, if ever. Shaking off that last thought, she slung her bag over her shoulder and took off for the aforementioned transporter room.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Transporter Room 3 was empty, but the console was powered up and waiting. Its coordinate lock was fixed on a specific point on the planet's surface. Allison smiled when she saw the console's status. "Looks like Spock got here ahead of schedule," she commented, then turned to the other two. "All right, let's go."  
  
Lia and Michael took their spots on the transporter pads. Allison slid three levers up, and then dashed to join them. A moment later, the three disappeared in a flurry of golden sparkles.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
The three ensigns materialized in a grassy meadow near a deep blue lake. A few birds fluttered away, startled, but they were ignored.  
  
Allison looked around. "No sign of the others. Or that Preserver obelisk. Lia, do you think you could shift into a bird of some kind and get a bird's eye view on the captain's location?"  
  
Lia immediately flowed into the form of a large golden eagle, and took off into the sky. She soared around a bit, then circled over their heads and halfway-shifted to human, just enough to talk. "I found them; follow me." And then she was full eagle again, flapping off to the east.  
  
Allison picked up Lia's bag, which she had dropped during the shift, and followed her flight path with Michael at her side.  
  
They only walked for a few minutes before Allison's enhanced hearing picked up three familiar voices. Motioning for Michael to slow down and stay quiet, she silently approached the hill overlooking the lake.  
  
Kirk stood on a low tree branch, absently tapping a stick against the tree trunk. McCoy and Spock stood next to him; McCoy was speaking. "Why they look like--I'd swear they're American Indians!"  
  
"A mixture of Navajo, Mohican, and Delaware, I believe," Spock mildly corrected. "All among the more advanced and peaceful tribes."  
  
The words were familiar to Allison, as if she had known them all her life (And indeed, if one said that she had, it would not be a lie). She was not surprised when Kirk put down the pine branch and walked away, saying, "I want another look at that obelisk." However, instead of following him as she had intended, Allison stayed where she was, to listen to McCoy and Spock.  
  
"I don't like it, Spock. This prediction that Allison made's givin' me the creeps." McCoy glanced in the direction Kirk had gone. "D'ya think we should go with him?"  
  
"The Captain is quite capable of surviving without our presence," Spock replied, deflecting the question skillfully. McCoy didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Who left that obelisk, Spock? I've never seen anything like it."  
  
"Unknown, Doctor. It would appear that whatever species constructed the obelisk, they are no longer present in the galaxy."  
  
"Kinda spooky, ain't it? That someone like that could just come and go without us noticing."  
  
"Humans cannot be everywhere at once, Doctor, despite their illogical attempts to do so." At that moment, Spock's communicator beeped. Raising an eyebrow at McCoy, he flipped the device open. "Spock here."  
  
"Mister Spock!" Scotty's voice was tense, worried. "Ah jus' got a call from the Cap'n but before he could say anything, th' channel closed. It was terminated from his end o' the line, and right b'fore we lost contact, Ah thought Ah heard him bein' hurt. Then, when we scanned th' planet surface for his communicator, we couldnae find it!"  
  
Allison glanced over at Michael. "Well, there it goes," she whispered. "Here's the deal: we let Spock and Bones look for Jim, and after they beam up we'll set up camp near the obelisk." Michael nodded in response, and the two resumed their silent watch.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Steve was reading his last data card when a very agitated half-Klingon came storming in. Jessie immediately scanned the room, and quickly walked over to Steve.  
  
"Have you seen Allison?" Jessie asked.  
  
Steve frowned as he set down his padd. "No, not since yesterday. Why?"  
  
"Because she's gone missing. No one's seen her since the end of alpha shift."  
  
"Maybe she's in her quarters."  
  
"I checked those first. Nothing. It's like she just isn't here anymore."  
  
Something told Steve that Jessie wasn't saying everything. Not up to guessing games, he sighed. "What else?"  
  
"Michael and Lia have gone missing, too."  
  
The gentle vibrations of the ship's warp engines began, and Doctor McCoy came stomping in. He practically threw his tricorder across the room before he saw the two teenagers. "Dammit!" he sputtered.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Jim's gone and got himself lost on that planet, and Spock's having us leave without him!" McCoy spat angrily. "Where's Allison? I wanna give her a piece of my mind about not telling us-"  
  
"She's gone, Doctor," Jessie interrupted.  
  
McCoy's tirade screeched to a halt. "What do you mean, GONE? Where could she go on a starship this size?" He turned to his desk and flipped a switch. "Computer, what is the current location of Ensign Danks?"  
  
"Ensigns Danks is not on board," the computer replied.  
  
The three looked at each other.  
  
"I think we're in a lot of trouble," Jessie quoted.  
  
Even the computer agreed. 


	13. The Long Wait

**Chapter Thirteen - The Long Wait**  
A golden eagle soared above the lake, watching the Native American camp. It did a quick barrel roll and pivoted, heading for a green-bronze obelisk.

As it swooped in for a landing, it flashed into the shape of a human girl with reddish hair. She landed on the ground next to a brown-haired boy who was busy trying to string a bow.

"A little harder...OW! Dangit..." He stuck his cut finger in his mouth, soothing the hurt.

"Need some help?"

"No, I can do it, Lia." Michael went back to the task, futilely struggling with the weapon.

Lia rolled her eyes and walked over to Allison, who was in meditation at the edge of the obelisk base. Allison opened her eyes, blinked, and stretched. "Oh...hey. What's up?"

"Something big's happening over at the Indian camp," Lia reported. "Some kind of ceremony, I think..."

Allison was instantly on her feet. "Both of you, get behind the obelisk. Now!"

Confused, they did so, taking their personal items with them. And none too soon, either. The instant they were hidden, the sound of soft deerskin boots on twigs reached their ears. Discreetly peeking around the obelisk, the three ensigns could see Kirk and the Indian tribal elder approaching.

Ducking back behind the obelisk, Allison could not help but smile.

"What?" Lia whispered.

"'Kirok' is getting married," she answered.

~~~~~~~

After a half an hour, the Indian man left the amnesiac Kirk at the base of the obelisk. The three teens watched him stand in that place for a few minutes, thinking to himself, before he too "walked the holy path" to the lodge.

The instant Kirk was out of sight in the forest, two voices rose above the singing of the birds. Kirk and Salish, arguing over Miramanee.

Allison was up the nearest tree in an instant, hopping from treetop to treetop until she was directly over the fight. She watched nervously as Kirk threw Salish across the clearing, and was cut by the knife. _Shoot,_ she thought as Kirk cradled his wounded hand. _That's gonna be hard to hide..._

She watched as Kirk fled into the forest, leaving Salish behind. She chose her moment. Dropping silently from the tree, she walked up behind him and reached out for his shoulder.

Kirk jerked as her fingers touched him, and he slumped to the ground. Allison stood over him for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "Cool," she said, and then called for Lia to bring her field medikit that she had packed.

Less than a minute later, Kirk's hand was perfectly healed. Allison put away the protoplaser and pressed a hand against Kirk's face. She concentrated hard, and he began to recover from the nerve pinch.

By the time he was fully awake, all three teens were once again hidden.

~~~~~~~

Back at their camp, Michael turned to Allison. "Are you nuts? That was a big risk! What if he'd seen you?"

Allison calmly looked at him. "That 'big risk' that you refer to was completely necessary. Can you imagine the uproar it would cause if a 'god' showed up at his own wedding, bleeding all over the place? That'd kinda ruin the image, wouldn't it? Gods don't bleed, and all that."

Lia frowned. "Is that why we needed to be here?"

"Part of it, anyway," Allison said. "I mentally ran through the episode. At the 'joining,' Jim's hand was perfectly fine. I'd always wondered why it was."

"So now what?" Michael asked. "Do we just sit here and wait for the _Enterprise _to pick us up?"

"Pretty much," Allison said.

"Well, shoot."

~~~~~~~

Jessie paced back and forth between McCoy's desk and the door to his office. "I can't believe she pulled a fast one on us! She could have at least told us before she took off to live with some Indians!"

McCoy threw back a shot of Saurian brandy. "Sounds like your young friend's been watchin' Jim for way too long," he drawled. "Damn reckless Yankees...always runnin' off on some damn fool idealistic crusade."

May held back a snort of laughter. McCoy gave her a sideways glance, and she shrugged as if to say, 'I didn't say anything!'

"Allison must have a good reason for leaving unannounced," Kristian declared after a moment. He and May had been called down to Sickbay and briefed on the situation shortly after it was discovered that the three ensigns were missing. "She's not the kind of person that acts rashly for no reason."

"Just like Jim," McCoy felt inclined to point out.

Steve was unfazed. "But why would Lia and Michael go with her? What do they hope to prove?"

Jessie stopped pacing and turned to McCoy. "Does Spock know she's gone?"

McCoy snorted. "Wouldn't surprise me, but I'll check when he's off-duty."

~~~~~~~

A week after the _Enterprise _left the Preserver planet, Allison could be found up a tree, looking over a small padd. She reclined against the tree trunk, on leg propped up on a branch in front of her, the other leg dangling. She was not disturbed in the slightest by the fact that she was nearly twenty feet off the ground, despite a life-long fear of heights.

Before she had left the ship, Allison grabbed the padd and a data disk. Now she reviewed the contents of the disk, looking over the information. Displayed on the screen was the history of the Danks family, starting in the year 2000 and going forward to the 23rd century.

Allison looked over some of the names, raising an eyebrow at all her 'new' relatives. "Weird," was all she said as she looked them over.

As far as she could tell, her younger brother had no descendants at all. Her older brother, on the other hand, had married a woman from the central United States. The Danks family line expanded through them, all the way down to a Winona Danks. And she had married-

Allison stopped reading, staring at the name on the padd. Impossible! She must have misread it.

She went back and read it again. No mistake.

Allison scratched a pointed ear in half-confusion, half-wonder. "No way. No way in Hell." But it was true, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

"I can not believe that he is my great-great-great-great-great-grandnephew," she said aloud. "And yet...I HAVE to believe it. I can't understand why I didn't see it earlier...we're so alike! We act alike...hell, we even LOOK alike!"

Shaking her head, she brought up a new data stream and began reading again. She had to learn more about this.

~~~~~~~

"Why you pointy-eared, son-of-a-"

"Doctor, please refrain from insulting my mother."

McCoy glared at Spock across the desk. "You knew all along, did you? You knew Allison and the others left to go after Jim, and you never told us!"

The somewhat annoyed Vulcan looked up at him. "Yes, that is true. I did not intend to tell you, either. Now you know, and it is unavoidable that you will begin another tirade."

"Damn straight!" McCoy began to pace. "Do you have any idea how valuable that girl and her friends are to Starfleet? Hell, to the entire Federation! If they die, or if they can't tell us where Jim is, we may never see them or our captain again! What does your logic tell you about that?"

"Logic," Spock said solemnly, "has nothing to do with it." That earned him a stunned silence from McCoy. "Allison is an emotional being, whether she appears to be Vulcan or not. And she has some sort of empathetic attachment to the captain."

"You mean like a psychic bond?" McCoy blurted without thinking.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "In a manner of speaking. It is similar to the Vulcan family bond, but with a variation." He picked up a padd and slid it across the desk to McCoy. "I went through our library banks."

McCoy warily took the padd, and read it over. His jaw dropped nearly to the floor, and his eyes went wide as dinner plates. "Oh. My. LORD."

~~~~~~~

Over the next month, the three ensigns had to work hard at making sure that Salish didn't try anything else. There were a few attempts at cutting Kirk again, but each attempt was thwarted by a psychic suggestion from Michael. Salish eventually gave up on an active role, biding his time until the arrival of the asteroid.

Allison didn't share her findings with either of the other teens, keeping her family history to herself. She was planning on finding her most prominent relative after the _Enterprise _returned, and telling him first. She wasn't sure how he would take the news.

Two months after the arrival at the Preserver planet, Allison came into camp with a grim look on her face. The wind was blowing harder, and the sky was darkening prematurely.

"Pack up camp," she shouted over the wind. "The asteroid's just about here, and the _Enterprise _should be right before it."

Lia and Michael scrambled to pick up their meager belongings. Allison gathered up her padd, medikit, and other posessions in her black bag and opened her communicator. "Danks to _Enterprise_! Danks to _Enterprise_!" she called into the transmitter.

A familiar voice answered. "_Enterprise_. Commander Spock here."

Even now, the three teens could hear the sounds of an angry crowd at the base of the obelisk. "We request beam up. Now," Allison said urgently. "And go to the Transporter Room with Doctor McCoy. You'll both be needed shortly."

"Acknowledged."

The transporter beam came and swept them away, leaving behind nothing but footprints to show that they had ever been there.

~~~~~~~

The instant she was done rematerializing, Allison leaped off the transporter pad and grabbed McCoy's arm. "Get down there, now. Right next to the obelisk." When McCoy stared questioningly, not understanding, her temper snapped. "Oh, for the love of Surak, just GO! Medical emergency, Bones. There's an angry mob and they're stoning Jim to death!"

The two senior officers were on the transporter pads and gone before anyone else could react. 


	14. Family

**Chapter Fourteen - Family**  
Jessie and Steve came down to the Transporter Room five minutes after McCoy and Spock left. Allison and Michael were standing behind the transport console, talking to Scotty, while Lia was reading something on a padd.

"You!" Jessie growled as soon as she saw Allison.

Allison looked up. "Nice to see you, too."

Jessie didn't know whether to hug her or punch her. "How could you do that to us?"

Allison played innocent. "Do what?"

"You know darn well what I mean."

Allison stepped away from the transporter console. "Let's just say I was helping my long-lost family." Then she grinned and lightly punched her half-Klingon friend in the arm. "And fixing a continuity error."

Now Jessie was hopelessly lost. "Say what?"

"Don't worry about it," Michael said. "We didn't really do much. Even though what we did was necessary."

Scotty just stared as the strange banter went back and forth. He didn't have a clue what they were talking about. He knew that they were from the twenty-first century, and that they knew almost everything about the twnety-third century (specifically, the _Enterprise _and its senior crew), but he didn't have the slightest idea what they were discussing.

"Spock admitted to helping you out," Steve said. "How'd you ever convince him?"

Allison's smile faded somewhat. "Accidental revelation during a mind-meld session. Sorry about that. But hey, at least I didn't botch the time line or anything."

"Oh, is THAT all you're concerned about?" Jessie asked sarcastically.

"Mainly. Plus the fact that it wouldn't be very good if Jim died. He's fairly important to the time line you know." Allison winked.

"Heck, yeah," Michael said. "That's the biggest understatement of TWO centuries!"

~~~~~~~

Spock and McCoy beamed up a while later with a somewhat confused Kirk in tow. The asteroid diverted, the crisis over, Spock was ordered to his quarters on medical orders and Kirk was practically dragged down to Sickbay. McCoy was going to look him over and make sure he hadn't been too badly hurt by the stones that the Indians had thrown, since Kirk naturally wouldn't admit to any pain or injury anyway.

Allison stood by the door of the examination room as McCoy finished fixing a rather large bruise on Kirk's shoulder. McCoy kept up a steady stream of gripes and curses, while Kirk mostly ignored him.

"There ya go, Jim," McCoy said, handing Kirk a new uniform. "Now just change into that, and you'll be back the way you were two months ago."

"Thanks, Bones." Kirk shrugged into the gold shirt, having changed his trousers earlier. As he pulled the shirt over his head, he noticed Allison. "Just dropping in to see me, ensign?"

"Something like that, Captain." She walked forward a little, her green-gray eyes unreadable. She held a padd in one hand. She held it out to him. McCoy watched in curiosity as Kirk took it and read the highlighted entry. Slowly, he looked up at her.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Affirmative."

McCoy watched them closely. With both in the same type of uniform, it was actually easy to see the similarities between the two. Same shade of hair, same hair style, same height...both had odd, color-changing eyes that reflected their moods...

Allison gave Kirk a hesitant half-smile. "I suppose you can call me 'Aunt Allison' now?"

For once, Kirk's gift of the blarney abandoned him, leaving him completely speechless.

~~~~~~~

The next day found Allison back up on the bridge at Navigations, for the first time in two months. Hikaru Sulu was a bit relieved to see that she was all right, having heard she had left the ship for so long. Chekov gave her a similar welcome, gladly giving over Nav to her and going back to Security.

The other two ensigns got similar reactions from the people in their departments. Spock greeted Lia, and May practically hugged Lia to death and then yelled at her a bit for leaving the ship without warning. Michael went back to Main Engineering and found Lieutenant Kyle and several other redshirt friends of his, and they exchanged stories of what had happened to them until Scotty came back and started them in on another surprise drill.

Midway through beta shift, Kirk came to Allison with a data card. He didn't say anything, just left the card with her and gave her a mysterious smile before leaving the room. Curious, she put the card into a padd and activated it.

_In accordance to her actions on Planet Miram III, Ensign Allison L. Danks is hereby promoted to Lieutenant..._

~~~~~~~

"So...Lieutenant, _ja_?"

Lia, Michael, and Allison were all in the Rec Room during delta shift, playing cards with Chekov. All three time travelers had a new stripe on their sleeves, which drew quite a bit of attention from some of the other junior officers.

"Yep." Allison tossed in a few poker chips. "I'll see your five."

Chekov turned over his cards. A pair of fives.

Allison grinned and showed her cards. A pair of sixes. She swept up the poker chips with a flourish and pulled them toward her end of the table. "Anyone care for another round?"

Chekov groaned. "_Nyet_. You alvays vin."

Allison's innocent grin got wider. "Ain't it the point? Besides, I could always order you to play another hand."

Chekov groaned. "Don't remind me. Besides, I do not vish to anger de Kyptin's Great-Aunt." The last part was said with a wink.

Allison raised an eyebrow. "It's said that the only thing that travels faster than light is gossip."

"So you're not de Kyptin's Great-Aunt?"

"No, I'm his great-great-great-great-great-aunt." She grinned again. "It's pretty complicated, but the short version is that Jim is my older brother's great-great-great-great-great-grandson. After World War Three, my family relocated to Iowa and set up a farm in Riverside. A few centuries later..." She shrugged and made a there-you-have-it motion with one hand. "Behold a starship captain. Directly down the line from son to son, and so on. Except that it was Jim's mother who is in my family line instead of his father."

"_Bozhe moi_! That is, in your century's idiom, freaky."

"You said it," Lia said, shuffling the cards. "I almost had a heart attack when I first heard the rumors. I mean, come on! It seems impossible that someone like her could be related to so famous a man. And let's not go into a matter of ages..."

Allison raised an eyebrow. "What? The fact that he's seventeen years older than me, but I'm well over two hundred years older than he is?"

Michael mimed his head exploding. "Let's not think about such paradoxes, shall we?"

"Agreed."

Right then, the comm unit whistled. "Bridge to Rec Room," Uhura's voice came through the speaker. "Message for Lieutenant Danks."

All three poker players looked over at Allison. She shrugged and hit the switch. "Lieutenant Danks here."

"The Captain wishes to inform you that the _Enterprise_ is headed for Earth at Warp 5, ETA two hours. He wants you to be ready on the Hangar Deck when we arrive."

"Acknowledged. Danks out."

"Never rains but it pours, eh?" Lia asked Allison.

"_Vita brevis_. Make the most of it," Allison replied. Chekov gave her an odd look.

"You know Latin?"

"A little bit."

"You DO know that Latin has been extinct for nearly three centuries..."

"Yes, but _tempus fugit_! One century can seem as short as ten years."

"That is true."

"Plus the fact that I've made a hobby of learning languages. Vulcan, Romulan, Spanish, French, Latin...I know enough of most of them to hold a decent conversation." Allison's eyes shone in amusement. "Of course, my entire Russian vocabulary consists of about four words...but I'm sure you'll help me fix that, right?"

Chekov immediately perked up, his Russian pride showing through clearly. "Of course! After all, Russia was the first country to have a language at all. We Russians inwented all the great literary works in history, including the idea of spaceships. It all started back in Siberia, during the Ice Age..." 


	15. Return to Sol III (and Epilogue)

**Chapter Fifteen - Return to Sol III**  
The shuttle skimmed the surface of the planet Earth, soaring over trees and lakes. There was hardly anyone around, and all seemed quiet.

Allison looked out through the viewport, scanning the large expanse. "There," she directed the pilot. "That's where it is." 

The pilot of the shuttle, one James Kirk, set the shuttle down in the middle of what had once been a small town. There was the ruins of a gas station and three school buildings, as well as a bank and some old, battered, unreadable street signs. 

The shuttle door opened, and Allison stepped out onto the soil of 23rd century Earth for the very first time. But she wasn't just any random place; she had returned home. 

On the edge of town, most of a large house still remained. Allison walked toward it, applying vicious restraint to keep herself from bolting for the building at top speed. Kirk walked beside her, sensing her tension and saying nothing. 

The duo finally reached the house, and Allison hesitantly reached out to touch the doorframe. The door was long since gone, but the walls mostly remained standing. She stepped through the opening into the darkened house, and was suddenly flooded with memories. 

_ "Hey Allison, watch this!" The young brown-haired boy furiously manipulated the controls to the old Nintendo, playing Kirby's Adventure with a seriousness that was way out of proportion. "I bet you can't do this..." _

A taller brown-haired boy with a blond spot on the back of his head called, "Allison, come here. I have something to show you." And then he would play music for her, make her laugh... 

"Dad!" She ran into the welcoming arms of her father, safe and secure in his embrace... 

"There he goes again," her mother laughed as, on the television screen, another woman threw herself at Captain Kirk. Her mother received a glare, and then she went back to watching her television show... 

"Princess..." she sobbed, pulling the collie into a hug. The dog put a paw on her arm, trying to comfort the distraught girl as no one else would... 

"The morning paper is reading like a scroll/Like the headlines from 2000 years ago/Everywhere I look I see the signs/My heart's telling me it's almost time..." she sang, as she cleaned up the mess in the basement left behind by the mob of youngsters. "Don't it make you want to go home/Run through those gates and fall in Jesus' arms/And all the cares of this world will be gone/Don't it make, don't it make you want to go home..." 

Allison stood in her own house, not bothering to stop the silent tears for her family, lost to her forever. 

~~~~~~~~

Before heading back to the shuttle, Allison managed to salvage a few books and CDs from the wreck of her room. She found some of her favorite civvies, mercifully intact and undamaged, along with her favorite red bandanna. There were a few other odds and ends, seemingly worthless but abundant with sentimental value. 

As she carried her precious findings back to the shuttle, she threw one last glance at the house where she had lived for fifteen years. Then she turned her back on it and walked away, leaving behind a past that could never be again. 

~~~~~~~~

The seven teenagers stood before the Admiralty, doing their best not to look nervous. The three Vulcans had the look down pat, but the others were having a bit of difficulty. 

"We realize that you can no longer live in your century," Admiral Fitzpatrick said. "You are welcome to live in ours. However, you must all take a vow of silence on your knowledge of our future. You must never tell anyone about future events, no matter how important it may seem to be. You are now under Starfleet orders not to interfere with our timeline, in accordance with the temporal prime directive. Is that understood?" 

Allison had a strange look on her face. Hands behind her back, she slightly crossed her fingers and said, "Affirmative, sir," in chorus with the others. 

As they filed out of the room, a ghost of a smile flickered across her face and vanished. Setting her expression to "Vulcan calm," she walked out the door and into the future, her friends alongside her. 

But the journey was just beginning. 

  
** Epilogue**  
_ "That is how we ended up in the 23rd Century, and that is why I am a Vulcan rather than a human. We seven Trekkies are destined to live in this timeline...but even so, we must change it. For the fate of the entire galaxy could rest in our hands..." _

Lieutenant Allison switched off the log recorder and placed it in her safe, sealing it and protecting it with a passcode. Then she straightened her uniform, put the case containing her antique gold reading glasses into a pocket, and strode out into the hallway to start another day and embrace the future. 

  
  
_To Be Continued...In Star Trekkies #2: _Yel'Hal-tor.

  
  
  
Well, that's all for Star Trekkies #1. Star Trekkies #2 will be appearing in this same forum, because even though it is about original characters it will still involve Kirk et.al. and the _Enterprise_ on occasion. So stay tuned, because what's coming next is definitely NOT regulation. 


End file.
